Annelies (age 15)
I’ve talked briefly with them about drinking, but they always taught me everything in moderation and that applies to diabetes and drinking too. I’m nowhere near old enough to drink though, so I don’t really worry about it.
Andrew (age 15)
I have spoken with my parents about drinking and diabetes and what I’ve learned is really a life lesson that should be used in all aspects of our lives, be responsible. Drinking has a negative side effects to diabetes and if you’re going to drink you have to be responsible and understand your bodies limitations.
Ashley B. (age 16)
My mom has talked to me about diabetes and drinking, saying that before I move out I should learn how to drink with diabetes. I don’t plan on drinking when I’m older, but my mom said its still something diabetics should learn how to handle.
Ashley C. (age 14)
I haven’t had that come up yet.
Cameron (age 17)
My parents have told me that if I drink, it’s harder to sense when I’m low and that stuff. They said that if I ever do drink, just drink in moderation and be extra careful.
Claire (age 18)
I have, and I have learned that it can be more dangerous than normal people drinking. When drinking, as a diabetic, if you were to consume too much alcohol and pass out, your liver is busy processing the alcohol, and in the instance that you were to drop low, your liver should normally secrete glucose and stop you from dying, but in this instance, it wouldn’t. Which is why drinking with diabetes is dangerous.
Erin (age 17)
I have not but in the diabetic groups I’m in I’ve learned a lot about the do’s and do nots of drinking with diabetes.
Ian (age 14)
I have found that when drinking, you must drink with foods, and you mustn’t get drunk.
Jessica (age 20)
I have never had a diabetes talk regarding alcohol with my parents or my endo. However, I think that this is an extremely important conversation to have with both parties. I have done some of my own research to find out how beer and hard liquor affect diabetics. Nonetheless, we all know that everyone’s body is different and so not all T1Ds will react the same. Although many people frown upon drinking and talking about it with their underage kids, I believe that it is of utmost importance to have this discussion with diabetic children beyond the “it can affect you badly, quickly, and hospitalize you”. Not only is this a vital conversation for parents to have, but I think it is even more important to have with the endo present and continue the conversation at home. I have always been curious and slightly afraid of what can happen because no one has talked to me about it. I encourage all diabetics to reach out to their endo as well as do some research on their own.
Jordan (age 18)
I have learned to drink sugar while drinking and to not bolus when you go high because alcohol makes you blood sugar shoot up then it goes right back down. I also know that I need to eat something fatty before I go to bed if I have been drinking to help keep me from going low.
Julia (age 15)
I don’t plan on drinking in the future. It’s just not an interest of mine so we haven’t talked about it.
Laura (age 17)
I’ve never talking to my endocrinologist about drinking. However, my parents have consulted me. My mother told me that giving insulin for alcohol isn’t smart because it doesn’t stay in your system, or something. I didn’t pay that much attention.
Lexi (age 16)
If you’re talking about alcohol, it has a weird effect on diabetes. It’ll rise your blood sugar and then drop it too. Most of the time when you drink you need to eat something with it. But with anything like sodas my mom usually helps me do a combo bolus that lasts from 3-6 hours most of the time.
Maggie (age 16)
I’ve never spoken to a doctor or parent about it but it is brought up a lot at camp and Friends for Life (diabetes conference). I’ve learned to be safe when it comes to drinking and diabetes; always have a designated person who knows how to take care of you because the signs of a low are the signs of being hung over. If you are having a drink don’t do insulin because you rise, then crash. Always try to eat something before you drink or before going to bed so you don’t crash in the middle of the night.
Skylyn (age 16)
I’ve always known that drinking is not good no matter who you are and I don’t have any interest in drinking. Even if my friends were drinking, I still wouldn’t. I have no problem being the designated driver.
Vanessa (age 16)
I’ve talked to adults with diabetes about it and they have only told me little about it. Or I’ve talked to other teens that drink already and what they have told me, I don’t see myself being a drinker.
Haley (age 14)
My parents have talked with me about drinking. I’ve learned that drinking alcohol can cause dangerously low blood sugar levels. Also, drinking excessively could cause me to not realize if I were experiencing a low.
Maddy (age 14)
I have talked with my parents and my endo about drinking with diabetes. Even though I do not plan to drink when I am older, I have discussed it before. I have learned that many alcohols have carbs and that my blood sugar can be affected by the alcohol that I consume.
McKenna (age 16)
I have talked to my parents about drinking and my endo about it. They say it’s very dangerous but especially for diabetics because if we get wasted then we won’t be able to wake ourselves up when we go low and it will cause our blood sugar to do weird things.
Christina (age 15)
I haven’t talked to my parents or endo thoroughly about drinking with diabetes. However, my older cousin who also has type 1 doesn’t drink because of how it affects her BGs, so I have learned a bit from her.